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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23334694">Building Towers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/ineedmentalassistance'>ineedmentalassistance (orphan_account)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stacking Blocks [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:48:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23334694</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/ineedmentalassistance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>*coughs*<br/>Whoops.</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stacking Blocks [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678129</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Letters From One Concerned Acquaintance, Yours Truly, Tonks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>*coughs*<br/>Whoops.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Wotcher Mad-Eye,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You haven't been writing recently, what's up? You can still write to people at Hogwarts, you know.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You might want to respond, or I just might ignore you permanently. You don't want that, don't you?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You might also want to check that bowler hat of yours. I had a feeling that you were going to use it soon. Hope you like it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>With love,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tonks.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wotcher Mad-Eye,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You still haven't written, sigh, I'm disappointed in you (tsk, tsk, tsk).</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Did you get both hands chopped off? Is that why you can't write? Might as well send a Patronus, I haven't seen that ugly blob of an animal in ages.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Write soon, or I'll turn your eye violet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lots of love,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tonks.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wotcher Mad-Eye,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Come on now, say something. Or Lil' Tonksie here might get worried. You don't want that, do you, constant vigilance and all that. Hope you enjoy this new hat, I thought you might like the look.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Seriously though, or I'll somehow get inside Hogwarts and break your door. And transfigure your eye violet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tonks.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wotcher Mad-Eye,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Here, look, I'll prove that I'm not some insane lunatic who's trying to hunt you down. Then will you write something?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- You prefer Scotch over brandy (sometimes you fill your flask with that), which I've never understood why. Scotch is disgusting.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- You used the Cruciatus Curse on me a total of 43 times, even though that's illegal. Very smooth, Mad-Eye, I appreciate the fact that you think I'm important enough to risk being stripped of your wand.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- You specifically asked me to morph my hair green during my graduation, because it made me look ridiculous. For some reason, I did it, and you have a picture of me glaring at you while you took a picture of that somewhere deep inside that old wooden writing desk. In your laundry room. For some reason.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope that's enough proof for you, now will you write?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks very much.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tonks.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dear Mad-Eye (you prick),</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>HOW THE FUCK DOES THE GREATEST AUROR OF ALL TIME GET DEFEATED AND SUBDUED BY SOME SCRAWNY AZKABAN ESCAPEE?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- Tonks</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>PS: An afterthought: hope you’re recovering fine</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Merely Little Snatches in Passing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Originally, I planned on making it slower, so that there'd be more chapters. Unfortunately, last time I did that, I couldn't continue writing.<br/>I'd say that this chapter goes up to... say... a week after summer begins.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first time they meet is in the hall of Grimmauld Place. She's dragging the umbrella stand back into place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is this madhouse?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus shows her how to quiet the portraits. "They're awakened by the noise," he explains, yanking the curtains over Walburga's face. Tonks shakes her head, amused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be me, then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus smiles. "I'm Remus Lupin."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nymphadora Tonks, but I'd prefer if you called me Tonks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you the Auror Mad-Eye mentioned?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks's eyes flutter. "Gosh, Mad-Eye mentioned me? Oh, I'm so honored." She pauses. "I suppose I am. Did he mention my first name?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jammy bastard," she says and turns back to Remus. "Now what?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She disappears for a while, and Remus finds her three weeks later drinking coffee in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Her hair is brown, lank and messy and she's wearing her Auror robes, which are creased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wotcher."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pours herself another cup of coffee. "It's early."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus makes himself tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought I'd pop by, see if anyone was awake before going to work."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right, because everyone wakes up around 5 in the morning."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're awake," she points out, yawning. She hops up to sit on the counter, banging her shoulder on the cabinet. "Ouch."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, but I'm not everyone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ew, philosophy," Tonks downs her drink and eyes the coffee machine. "Do you think that I'll be able to work if I finish that off?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," Remus pulls bread out of the cabinet. "Toast?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No thanks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks drinks the rest of the coffee and then stretches. "Well, I'll be off. Cheerio."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Some days, she passes by Grimmauld Place on her way to work, usually early in the mornings. Then she pops in and sees if anyone's awake. On those days, she manages to get past the umbrella stand without upsetting it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some days, usually the days when she's working late into the evenings, she stays overnight at Grimmauld Place in the guest room. Then, Remus would find her sitting on the counter in the early mornings, drinking coffee and reading the Prophet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus wonders why she reads the Prophet, he's given up on it ever since they started calling Dumbledore a 'raving lunatic'.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He passes by her once, in Diagon Alley. She was in her Auror robes, striding along with another Auror, her cape was flapping behind her, it caught and she slipped, he helped her up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Remus!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks to her partner, who hasn't noticed yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she's off again, running to catch up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She finds him reading in Orion Black's office. She's wandering around the house, drinking coffee in her sweater.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you reading?" she asks idly, scanning the shelves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus holds up the book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, she's out again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sometimes, she doesn't show up at the Order meetings. Sometimes, most of the time, she does. She waves and sits down, or leans against the wall. Once, she came dragging a short, bulky red-headed man along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Remus, this is Charlie Weasley."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So I figured. Pleased to meet you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus wonders why she's bothering to introduce him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She talks to Charlie for the rest of the evening and Remus can't help but wonder what it is between them. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Try Therapy for Your Anger Issues</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I intended for this chapter to be longer and include Remus. But it doesn't.</p><p>*Crawls under the desk like Tonks*<br/>Ugh.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tonks has a to-do list in her office. It's hidden under her desk so only she knows it exists. It reads:</span>
</p>
<ol>
<li><span> Learn to play the accordion.</span></li>
<li><span> Visit Toad Suck, Arkansas</span></li>
<li><span> Learn to shoot something.</span></li>
</ol><p>
  <em>
    <span>Or someone,</span>
  </em>
  <span> for that matter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She glares at Dawlish's back as he walks out of his office, then sends a small flock of tiny bluebirds to torrent him. As soon as the door slams shut, she throws a balled-up piece of parchment at Dawlish's disappearing figure.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes, she's been late almost every day for the past month.</span>
  </em>
  <span> But could she help it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She's finding it difficult to juggle work and the Order. If only she could multitask better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She's still glaring at the window thirty minutes later when Savage pokes his head it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, is this a good time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ugh," Tonks slides off her chair and under her desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come on Tonks, we all know that Dawlish is an idiot," Savage leans against the wall while Tonks whacks her head repeatedly on her desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stop that, you're not dying yet."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks's hand reaches up and grabs a small paperweight, she tosses it at Savage, it hits his shin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ow, what was that for?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks throws another paperweight at him, it hits his foot. "Stop bullying me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks drags herself up from the bottom of her desk. "What are you doing here?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Change that hair, would you? And Kingsley wants to see you, says it's urgent."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks slides back under her table. "Tell him I'm busy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't look very busy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shut up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shall I tell him that you're busy moping in your office?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Touchy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks pulls herself up again. "Get your arse out of my office."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Savage smirks. "Or?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my god, just get out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Savage laughs and Tonks flicks up two fingers at him.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please leave suggestions or comments below :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. One Step, Then You Fall and Don't Get Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes, I know my grammar's very bad.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She's an early riser. She has to be, for the job she has, and she's gotten used to it, probably for the worse. Sometimes she wakes up too early and has nothing to do but wait and drink coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He, on the other hand, prefers to stay in bed for as long as he can. He knows that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>should </span>
  </em>
  <span>get up, but he doesn't until he gets anxious. Or until someone forces him up, which is usually Sirius. Or by having Kreacher enter the room, muttering insults under his breath. Which is disturbing but effective.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He prefers tea. Or hot chocolate over all that. He drinks a lot of tea, and not just one type, chamomile, green, ginger, jasmine, that's all Tonks can name, she's hardly a tea connoisseur, but she suspects Remus might be one, secret job or something. He'd do well at it, she thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She drinks a lot of coffee. And sometimes tea, but she always says that tea tastes like 'nothing but a bunch of leaves in hot water'. Then, they argue and it leaves them not speaking for ten minutes, which results in Tonks apologizing and hugging him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She's a very good hugger, he finds out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His arms are covered in silvery scars and ink specks. His elbows are usually red from being leaned on while he's reading or looking over papers or thinking. Sometimes, when he's rolled up his sleeves, Tonks can see his bite mark, it's high up on his right arm, it's still red and puffy around full moons. His arms are long and not very muscular but he's very good with his fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonks usually hides her injuries by morphing them away, but sometimes she lets a cut or bruise or something show. Or other times, she doesn't feel the pain and doesn't hide them, and usually, Mad-Eye starts yelling at her for letting her guard down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tonks isn't very good with her hands. They don't listen to her brain and she drops things, knocks things over or accidentally breaks whatever she's holding. Her handwriting is messy and scrawled and Mad-Eye tells her that it's barely legible. The only thing her hands </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> do is duel, and that's mostly arm and brain shooting random spells and hoping that it works. Her hands are useless (now, that's a bit dramatic).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Remus has all of these hidden talents. Speaking Spanish, mimicking voices, origami, making spaghetti towers. Tonks likes watching him do stuff, he's always so wrapped up in whatever he's doing. The only thing she's good at is dropping things.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tonks is observant. Of course, with the job she has, she has to be, and her abilities also require that if she's going to morph into someone else. But she's good at copying the little things that others don't notice about themselves. Remus's shaking hands when he writes (but his hands write so nicely). Ginny's hair tosses. Hermione's tendency to lick her fingertips when she turns pages. Harry's walk, Sirius's hand flip, even Molly's pose when she's yelling at the twins.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She's usually talking, either to someone or to herself. Remus sometimes listens to Tonks's conversations with herself, it's usually quiet and about her doing something wrong or 'Mad-Eye won't like that' or something about work and Dawlish, whoever that was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He has a lilting Welsh accent but it's hardly noticeable, unlike her father's Cockney accent or Professor McGonagall's clipped Scottish accent, or her mother's uppity RP (that makes her sound like a snob, although it's not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> wrong). Tonks likes the sound of it. His voice also sounds permanently sore, and Tonks likes hearing him talk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thinks he likes pink best. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please leave a comment or a suggestion below :)<br/>Very appreciated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Trip, Don't Fall, Never Fall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here's a shortie for today.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She's pretty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just pretty. Not Fleur Delacour beautiful or Lily Evans lovely. Pretty. A different word for a different person. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She has brown eyes. He's never noticed that before, even though they've been spending every mission together, talking or whatever. Her eyes are dark, almost chocolatey, dark chocolate. At least, that's how Remus usually sees her, short, pale-skinned, heart-shaped face, pink-haired, clumsy, pink lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She likes her coffee with milk, no sugar. And hot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why not drink it straight from the brewer?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What am I, an animal?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus tries to get up early to make her coffee, but she's too much of an early riser for him to compete with.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No, don't fall.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her birthday falls just before the New Year, so it's overshadowed by the holidays. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then what do you do for birthdays?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing, sometimes I have my half-birthday in June," she coughs. "Sorry, didn't mean to sound like a prude. I don't go around celebrating two birthdays a year, it's new."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gives him a sheepish grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus circles the date on his calendar and stares at it for a long time. Eight months from now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why are you falling? Don't fall.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It's a cold November morning when they finish their shift in Hogsmeade. She's blowing on her hands, her fingerless gloves probably don't provide much protection against the cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Cold?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mhm."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wraps his arm around her shoulders, then he realizes what he's doing and makes to pull back but she beams at him and keeps his arm there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She's so pretty when she smiles. Her nose crinkles up the tiniest bit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stop it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She usually wears her hair pink. Or violet, but she says it makes her look peaky. Remus thinks that would look pretty in anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stop.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stop it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stop falling.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please leave a comment or a suggestion below. Thank you :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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